title: Modelling the biological half-life and seasonality of ¹⁴C in Fucus vesiculosus from the east coast of Ireland: implications for the estimation of future trends.
abstract: Radiocarbon levels were recorded in Fucus vesiculosus samples collected on a monthly basis over a three-year period at a site on the east coast of Ireland. The resulting data was analysed using a numerical model which estimates the transit times from the Sellafield plant to the sampling location, and the mean availability time of ¹⁴C in seaweed. With the inclusion of a model parameter allowing for seasonal variability in uptake by the Fucus, good correlation was observed between the predicted and measured concentrations. Future temporal trends of ¹⁴C Fucus concentrations along the eastern Irish coastline were modelled with the application of three possible prospective discharge scenarios, predicting ¹⁴C Fucus concentrations to reduce to ambient background levels within 2.5-years of discharges being set to zero. Such projections may prove helpful in assessing the consequences of discharge management and policy making in the context of the OSPAR convention.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Keogh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cournane
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: León Vintró
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D044645:Fucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006207:Half-Life; D007494:Ireland; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014878:Water Pollution, Radioactive / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D002244:Carbon